Rwandan Genocide

In 1994, at least 100,000 Hutus murdered approximately 800,000 Tutsis and 50,000 Hutus in the poor and compact nation of Rwanda. The genocide, whose roots lie mythically in perceived ancient identities and modern ideas of nationalism and domination, wiped out the infrastructure of the nation, created a massive refugee crisis, and left millions of Rwandans suffering horrible physical injuries and emotional trauma. Prosecuting those responsible for committing the genocide, assisting victims with myriad needs, and building a stable and peaceful nation have been mammoth tasks for the government of Rwanda. With foreign financial support, the government of President Paul Kagame launched a unique way of rebuilding the shattered country by using an existing cultural problem-solving ritual: gacaca. This entry examines the clash between the Hutus ...